Matthew Bramley, Director of the Pembina Institute's climate change program, made the following statement in response to today's House of Commons vote on Bill C-311. The bill would require the government to adopt annual climate change plans and regulations to reach science-based emissions targets. Last June, the House of Commons passed a virtually identical private member's bill with unanimous support from all three opposition parties and unanimous opposition from the Conservatives. The fall election cut short that bill's progress before it could become law.
"Today, a majority of MPs in the House of Commons voted for strong, science-based action on climate change by supporting Bill C-311. At a time when the U.S. and the international community are moving quickly to tackle global warming, it's critical that Canada does its fair share in the global effort. This groundbreaking bill gives Canada a chance to go into this year's pivotal UN climate negotiations as a leader.
Bill C-311 is important because the government's current greenhouse gas targets fall far short of scientific assessments of the emission reductions needed to avoid dangerous climate change, and because to date the government has not produced a credible plan to meet even those targets.
Unfortunately, the government MPs who voted unanimously against the bill have chosen delay and inaction instead of leadership.
We congratulate the three opposition parties for their continued support of this vital legislation at second reading stage.
We hope to see MPs work collaboratively in the coming weeks as the bill moves to the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development for further study en route to becoming law."
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The Pembina Institute is a non-partisan sustainable energy think tank.
Contact: Matthew Bramley
Director, Climate Change Program
819-210-6115 (cell)